1862 - Tinsley to Nelson - Amherst Co, VA
Manumission Item Data Item Type Metadata
Date
01/20/1862
Manumitter
Manumitted
Number of Persons
1
Text of Freedom Document
I Robert Tinsley do make my last will and testament as follows.
1. My dear wife will be entitled under our marriage contract to her own property. Say her negro slave named Austin and eighteen shares Bank Stock standing in my name, in which I invested the money of the trust fund which came to my hands- the profits of the fund have been expended in our support. She has also a separate fund arising from her savings which I do not claim as any part of my estate.
2. I give to my beloved wife during her life all the real estate of which I die possessed and my negro slaves Nelson (called Nelson Bunford?], Reubin, Edmond Amy Harry, Booker Maurice, Archy and Lindsey to the gift of the tract of land on Buffaloe I annex this condition that the land and timber thereon may be used to supply the plantation and to supply her at the homeplace so long as she may continue to reside upon it, but it is not to be subject to disfunction by sale or otherwise for any other purpose whatsoever. I would freely liberate all my slaves but feel the necessity of providing a free to work the plantation, the first four named above are too far advanced in years to make it desirable to remove them- Harry is his mistresses favorite and will be better off in her hands than any where else- the liberation of Archy and Lindsey must be postponed till the death of their mistress. This however is the [?lass?] objectionable as the former has a wife and children that he may not care to leave, and Lindsey will be with his mother.
3. After the death of my wife I give and bequeath the property real and personal herein given to her for life (the slaves Archy and Lindsey excepted) to my friend and relative Zachariah D. Tinsley esq to him and his heirs forever desiring that he shall give my tract of land on Buffaloe and as many of the slaves as are then surviving (Archy and Lindsey excepted) to one of his sons at his discretion. Archy and Lindsey are to be emancipated on the death of my wife, removed to some place where they can enjoy can enjoy their freedom at the expense of the said Zachariah D. Tinsley and furnished by him after their removal one hundred dollars each.
4. It is my will and desire that the residue of my slaves and future increase be emancipated and removed at the expense of my estate to one of the free states of this union, although are some legal impediments I suppose with the provision I intend for them they can be settled in Ohio or some other of the Western States. I wish them settled in families upon tracts of land to be purchased and secured to them to the amount of one hundred dollars a head and furnished with a substantial suit of clothes each suitable to the season and plain provisions sufficient for a year, supply and this is to be done as soon as sufficient funds can be raised from collection of debts due me instead of any money I may leave on hand. It may be that the state of the funds will not [illegible] of all being sent at one time without postponing their removal longer than is desirable- if so I wish them sent on without dividing families as fast as the funds can be provided- and if necessary to postpone the removal of any I wish Mary and her children to remain at service with her mistress without hire till sent off with the last lot.
Nelson ([illegible name] son) is much attached to his family and may not wish to go but I think it best and advise him to make
[last two lines of page illegible]
of making his way good any where and of making a highly respectable man among his equals.
If the salves cannot be settled in Ohio, or some other free state of this union I wish them properly equipped and sent to Liberia at the expense of my estate.
5. Some year ago I had the burying ground where the remains of my father and mother lie and which I desire as the final resting place of my self (and my wife unless she wills otherwise) neatly enclosed, but being of wood I [?desire?] the enclosure will not be as durable as it should be. I therefore desire that sufficient ground for four graves say an oblong of twenty feet long from east to west and 14 feet wide from north to south in the clear be enclosed at the expense of my estate in a neat substantial and durable manner either of stone or iron railing or a combination of both. It is my intention to do this during my life but if from any cause it is not done before I wish it done after my death.
6. I bequeath to my friend Smauel H. Henry esq one thousand dollars- in consideration of which I desire that he will act as the counsel and next friend of my emancipated slaves, and see that the provisions of my wills in regard to them are fully and faithfully executed. It is not intended that this shall cover charges of attending to their settlement in a free state if it suits his convenience and enclanation [sic] to attend to that. It is my wish for him to do so and to be fairly compensated for expenses time and trouble in addition to the above. If he cannot attend to this personally I wish him in conjunction with my executors to select some other reliable and trust worthy person to attend to it, as to the legacy a fee of $1000 it is my desire that mya be at his own discretion that he apply it in educating his son who I understand is my namesake. I also give to the said Samuel H Henry such of my law books as he may not be already possession of copies of.
7. All the rest and residue of my estate of what nature or kind so ever I give and bequeath to my wife as her abdicate estate to be at her own disposal. It is not my intention to die interstate as to any thing- if it should so happen that I survive my wife and then die without alteration of my will Zachariah Tinsley in her stead it to be residuary legaltie of my estate.
8. I appoint my wife Eliza L Tinsley my executor and desire that no security be required of her- no appraisement of my estate need be made.
Witness my signature and seal this 13th day of March 1859.
Robert Tinsley (seal)
At a Court held for Amherst County on the 20th day of January 1862
A paper purporting to be the last will and testament of Robert Tinsley deceased was brought into Cout & it being proved by the oath of C. Dabney and N.M. Brown to be altogether in the hand writing of said R. Tinsley, as well the body and the signature, the same is ordered to be recorded as the last will and testament of said Robert Tinsley decd. and on the motion of Eliza S Tinsley, the executor therein named who made oath according to law entered into & acknowledged a bond in the penalty of two hundred thousand dollars conditioned according to law which is ordered to be recorded a certificate is granted her for obtaining a probate thereof in due form security being disposed with at the request of testator.
Teste Sam M Garland, Clerk
1. My dear wife will be entitled under our marriage contract to her own property. Say her negro slave named Austin and eighteen shares Bank Stock standing in my name, in which I invested the money of the trust fund which came to my hands- the profits of the fund have been expended in our support. She has also a separate fund arising from her savings which I do not claim as any part of my estate.
2. I give to my beloved wife during her life all the real estate of which I die possessed and my negro slaves Nelson (called Nelson Bunford?], Reubin, Edmond Amy Harry, Booker Maurice, Archy and Lindsey to the gift of the tract of land on Buffaloe I annex this condition that the land and timber thereon may be used to supply the plantation and to supply her at the homeplace so long as she may continue to reside upon it, but it is not to be subject to disfunction by sale or otherwise for any other purpose whatsoever. I would freely liberate all my slaves but feel the necessity of providing a free to work the plantation, the first four named above are too far advanced in years to make it desirable to remove them- Harry is his mistresses favorite and will be better off in her hands than any where else- the liberation of Archy and Lindsey must be postponed till the death of their mistress. This however is the [?lass?] objectionable as the former has a wife and children that he may not care to leave, and Lindsey will be with his mother.
3. After the death of my wife I give and bequeath the property real and personal herein given to her for life (the slaves Archy and Lindsey excepted) to my friend and relative Zachariah D. Tinsley esq to him and his heirs forever desiring that he shall give my tract of land on Buffaloe and as many of the slaves as are then surviving (Archy and Lindsey excepted) to one of his sons at his discretion. Archy and Lindsey are to be emancipated on the death of my wife, removed to some place where they can enjoy can enjoy their freedom at the expense of the said Zachariah D. Tinsley and furnished by him after their removal one hundred dollars each.
4. It is my will and desire that the residue of my slaves and future increase be emancipated and removed at the expense of my estate to one of the free states of this union, although are some legal impediments I suppose with the provision I intend for them they can be settled in Ohio or some other of the Western States. I wish them settled in families upon tracts of land to be purchased and secured to them to the amount of one hundred dollars a head and furnished with a substantial suit of clothes each suitable to the season and plain provisions sufficient for a year, supply and this is to be done as soon as sufficient funds can be raised from collection of debts due me instead of any money I may leave on hand. It may be that the state of the funds will not [illegible] of all being sent at one time without postponing their removal longer than is desirable- if so I wish them sent on without dividing families as fast as the funds can be provided- and if necessary to postpone the removal of any I wish Mary and her children to remain at service with her mistress without hire till sent off with the last lot.
Nelson ([illegible name] son) is much attached to his family and may not wish to go but I think it best and advise him to make
[last two lines of page illegible]
of making his way good any where and of making a highly respectable man among his equals.
If the salves cannot be settled in Ohio, or some other free state of this union I wish them properly equipped and sent to Liberia at the expense of my estate.
5. Some year ago I had the burying ground where the remains of my father and mother lie and which I desire as the final resting place of my self (and my wife unless she wills otherwise) neatly enclosed, but being of wood I [?desire?] the enclosure will not be as durable as it should be. I therefore desire that sufficient ground for four graves say an oblong of twenty feet long from east to west and 14 feet wide from north to south in the clear be enclosed at the expense of my estate in a neat substantial and durable manner either of stone or iron railing or a combination of both. It is my intention to do this during my life but if from any cause it is not done before I wish it done after my death.
6. I bequeath to my friend Smauel H. Henry esq one thousand dollars- in consideration of which I desire that he will act as the counsel and next friend of my emancipated slaves, and see that the provisions of my wills in regard to them are fully and faithfully executed. It is not intended that this shall cover charges of attending to their settlement in a free state if it suits his convenience and enclanation [sic] to attend to that. It is my wish for him to do so and to be fairly compensated for expenses time and trouble in addition to the above. If he cannot attend to this personally I wish him in conjunction with my executors to select some other reliable and trust worthy person to attend to it, as to the legacy a fee of $1000 it is my desire that mya be at his own discretion that he apply it in educating his son who I understand is my namesake. I also give to the said Samuel H Henry such of my law books as he may not be already possession of copies of.
7. All the rest and residue of my estate of what nature or kind so ever I give and bequeath to my wife as her abdicate estate to be at her own disposal. It is not my intention to die interstate as to any thing- if it should so happen that I survive my wife and then die without alteration of my will Zachariah Tinsley in her stead it to be residuary legaltie of my estate.
8. I appoint my wife Eliza L Tinsley my executor and desire that no security be required of her- no appraisement of my estate need be made.
Witness my signature and seal this 13th day of March 1859.
Robert Tinsley (seal)
At a Court held for Amherst County on the 20th day of January 1862
A paper purporting to be the last will and testament of Robert Tinsley deceased was brought into Cout & it being proved by the oath of C. Dabney and N.M. Brown to be altogether in the hand writing of said R. Tinsley, as well the body and the signature, the same is ordered to be recorded as the last will and testament of said Robert Tinsley decd. and on the motion of Eliza S Tinsley, the executor therein named who made oath according to law entered into & acknowledged a bond in the penalty of two hundred thousand dollars conditioned according to law which is ordered to be recorded a certificate is granted her for obtaining a probate thereof in due form security being disposed with at the request of testator.
Teste Sam M Garland, Clerk
Record Location
WB 16:106
Document Type
Last Will & Testament
Files
Collection
Citation
“1862 - Tinsley to Nelson - Amherst Co, VA,” Manumission Project, accessed February 11, 2025, https://manumissionproject.omeka.net/items/show/939.